# Nextcloud desktop client can't access external drive on Ubuntu

**URL:** <https://help.nextcloud.com/t/nextcloud-desktop-client-cant-access-external-drive-on-ubuntu/131432>\
**Category:** 💻 Desktop\
**Tags:** ubuntu, linux\
**Created:** [January 19, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://help.nextcloud.com/t/nextcloud-desktop-client-cant-access-external-drive-on-ubuntu/131432 "2022-01-19T14:39:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 11

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**Author:** ![anon75456558](https://help.nextcloud.com/letter_avatar/anon75456558/32/6_22734026db12803ebb3e059622ac3534.png) [@anon75456558](https://help.nextcloud.com/u/anon75456558)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 5:58pm UTC](https://help.nextcloud.com/t/nextcloud-desktop-client-cant-access-external-drive-on-ubuntu/131432/11 "2022-01-22T17:58:47Z")

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You have to define the permissions that the disk will use.

> [@Guide to Getting Started with NextcloudPi Docker in 2020](https://help.nextcloud.com/t/guide-to-getting-started-with-nextcloudpi-docker-in-2020/93396/1):
>
> #### Adding external devices is all based on clear permissions and ownership.
> 
> `$ sudo blkid`  
> `$ sudo nano /etc/fstab`
> 
> fstab will persistently mount the device after it is configured: Add your device’s UUID at the end of this file. Each UUID is specific to that individual device. This is the only truly accurate option for mounting things, although you could use a label you’ve created for the device in gparted such as “memory\_card”. You may also mount by the less useful, unrecommended current mount point of /dev/sbX which changes as you plug or remove things.
> 
> Once you’ve added the card you can give it sane defaults (here is ext4 example):
> 
> UUID=THE-ADDRESS-GOES-HERE /mnt/directory/location ext4 defaults 0
> 
> Now that I’ve mounted my MicroSD card to /mnt/directory/location I’ll confirm it works by reloading fstab.
> 
> `$ fstab mount -a`
> 
> If you see no errors you should now be able to access /mnt/directory/location on the local file system. Now we will change ownership:group to the data in this location from root to www-data since that is used by Nextcloud in Docker. See current permissions with `$ ls -la /mnt/directory/location`
> 
> `$ sudo chown www-data:www-data -R /mnt/directory/location`

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_[View the full topic](https://help.nextcloud.com/t/nextcloud-desktop-client-cant-access-external-drive-on-ubuntu/131432)._